On Thursday, I sat through a presentation where one of the points was passion supersedes natural talent. The speaker was meant to be inspiring and thought provoking and he totally was, but this particular point stuck with me.
I'd like to hope that you can use passion alone to get where you'd like to go, but I do not believe that this is the case. For example, ballet is a highly competitive sport. You can take lessons all your life, as well as, live and breathe it every day, but if your feet aren't right or your legs don't turn out a certain way, then the likelihood of your success as a professional decrease. Now you can always spin it as someone who is a ballet dancer that does not dance in a company can always teach or find another job that helps the quell the passion.
So it's an interesting thought that alone passion can get you where you'd like to be in your life.
Sunday, August 18, 2013
Friday, August 9, 2013
It doesn't seem real. Other than the fact that people are saying goodbye and that I've eaten more than usual, my mind still has not comprehending that I will start a new job on Monday. I've been in the routine of working seven days a week for almost a year. Now I am thankful to have a Monday through Friday job. If there were an illusion to my feelings it would be like me going to off to college and leaving my friends behind. It's good because of all the new stuff I'll experience, but sad because I will miss the people. I'm nervous, but also trust in my abilities. I've always lived hoping that I made a difference in the world. The generosity of my co-workers is only proof that so far, I've succeeded. Onto the next!
Thursday, August 1, 2013
July Happiness Project Recap
My Happiness Project is working and I cannot explain how or why. Though by project standards I did not meet all my July goals, it was still wildly successful. July's focus was "Work" with the goals of:
The hardest parts of July's goals was no gossip and learning new phrases in other languages. I basically only learned bank phrases when I waited in line at the Bank of America on Sand Lake Road, mostly because of all the signs and non-English speakers. I also tried to learn service phrases, but that died out quickly. The no gossip rule changed mid-month to less gossip, which was much more attainable. I found myself not feeding into the gossip, but it surrounds you sometimes it is hard to escape. I do not think this will be a problem in my new location.
I tried my best to meet new people. This was definitely stepping out of my comfort zone and talking to all sorts of people. It's not my favorite thing, as believe it or not, I'm a naturally more reserved person.
I excelled this month in listen and engage, and of course, being qualified. Any time people came to me with a concern, I would try to stop what I was doing (unless I couldn't) and talk about how they felt about the situation. I found that getting them to understand the situation as a whole, also got the brain thinking. Although, this goes back to me picking and choosing who I engaged with.
Being qualified is something that I was tired of people saying I wasn't. I spent a lot of time on the Internet figuring things out. Any time I did not know something, I'd find the answer to understand it. I'm by no means a rocket scientist now, but I found that I am more qualified to speak on the subjects that interest me. I believe that this reflected in my new job. I can't wait to take what I've learned and apply it.
Now for August! Completely out of my norm is "Have Fun" month. I so rarely have fun to the point where I am miserable. I mean for goodness sake I work 7-days a week (and some nights) and get home exhausted. Now, I have a normal Monday through Friday job and although the thought of getting a weekend job crossed my mind, John and my parents agreed I should not (at least not yet).
So for August fun month the goals are:
- Meet New People
- No Gossip
- Listen and Engage
- Learn phrases in Other Languages
- Be Qualified
The hardest parts of July's goals was no gossip and learning new phrases in other languages. I basically only learned bank phrases when I waited in line at the Bank of America on Sand Lake Road, mostly because of all the signs and non-English speakers. I also tried to learn service phrases, but that died out quickly. The no gossip rule changed mid-month to less gossip, which was much more attainable. I found myself not feeding into the gossip, but it surrounds you sometimes it is hard to escape. I do not think this will be a problem in my new location.
I tried my best to meet new people. This was definitely stepping out of my comfort zone and talking to all sorts of people. It's not my favorite thing, as believe it or not, I'm a naturally more reserved person.
I excelled this month in listen and engage, and of course, being qualified. Any time people came to me with a concern, I would try to stop what I was doing (unless I couldn't) and talk about how they felt about the situation. I found that getting them to understand the situation as a whole, also got the brain thinking. Although, this goes back to me picking and choosing who I engaged with.
Being qualified is something that I was tired of people saying I wasn't. I spent a lot of time on the Internet figuring things out. Any time I did not know something, I'd find the answer to understand it. I'm by no means a rocket scientist now, but I found that I am more qualified to speak on the subjects that interest me. I believe that this reflected in my new job. I can't wait to take what I've learned and apply it.
Now for August! Completely out of my norm is "Have Fun" month. I so rarely have fun to the point where I am miserable. I mean for goodness sake I work 7-days a week (and some nights) and get home exhausted. Now, I have a normal Monday through Friday job and although the thought of getting a weekend job crossed my mind, John and my parents agreed I should not (at least not yet).
So for August fun month the goals are:
- Take local adventures
- Spend Out
- Take Time
- Say Yes
Florida, from what I am told, is a fun place. I plan to go do all the things that I've heard about since becoming a resident here four years ago. Spending out means, stop being a cheap person and spend the cash that I've earned. This is scary because I hate spending money, but we'll see. Take time. I think this means for me to just enjoy doing nothing and really taking care of myself. Say yes is dangerous. I say yes all the time then end up over committed and exhausted. So I think saying yes to fun and adventure will be how I interpret it.
Some trips I'd like to make are: Gatorland, the Beach, Weiki Watchi Springs, Food Trucks, the other beach, the zoo, etc. Should be exciting. I think my family has caught on to these experiments. I felt bad for a second subjecting everyone to my monthly goals, but I think it's working. August should be a good one for us all.
Sunday, July 28, 2013
Product Review: Simple Sugars Body Scrubs
I was watching ABC's SharkTank, which is where people pitch these ideas to D-list celebrities who have money to invest in businesses. My parents and I watch this from time to time. A young, well-spoken woman came on and pitched her sugar scrub line. Typical stuff with all natural ingredients that promise smooth skin and maybe some cures for dry skin. I wasn't committed at the time, but I though "oh how nice." Later that night, I felt the itch to buy something and decided to check out some web sites. I need shoes, clothes, and gasoline. I also decided to check out the Simple Sugars website.
First, I was impressed by the tone. Lani (the creator) chooses a more informal tone that clearly targets younger women. Then she grabbed me by the variety of smells and scrub products. I am not a scrub person, actually, I am not a person who puts myself within my top 10 priorities; however, I am trying to change that. I need to take better care of myself, but more on that later.
The prices were fair. For a 16-oz tub of scrub is $16.95, while an 8-oz tub is $11.95. Logic told me to just go make my own scrub with a Pinterest recipe, but 1) I do not have time, 2) don't have the patience to be mixing oils, and 3) probably would end up making a product that would burn my face off. Also, I love supporting small businesses. If I look at a business model and immediately think "Oh I'd love to work there," then I do not mind spending my money.
So I forego the shoes, clothes, and gasoline for two weeks and bought two scrubs. Green Tea with Tea Tree Oil 5-oz Facial Scrub for $16.95 and a Peach-scented body scrub. For some reason, I was insanely excited and couldn't wait for the product to get here. Due to the popularity of the scrub after the re-airing of the television episode, it took a little longer than expected, but a reasonable amount of time.
Today the product got here in a cute little box. It comes with tiny stirring spoons. I love tiny spoons! You start by using the tiny spoons to mix the sugar, so the oils are evenly distributed. Then you put some stuff on your fingers and scrub. Immediately, I was hit by the aromas, which were pleasant. It was difficult trying to determine the consistency of the scrub. You don't want it too wet or too dry. I think I went too dry this first time. I started with the facial scrub. It felt rough, but good. I left it on for a few moments as I hopped into the shower. As I rinsed it off, I could feel what felt like an oily film on my face, but then I realized that was just smoothness. The scrub does not feel oily at all. In fact, my skin is insanely smooth.
Tomorrow, I will try the Peach body scrub and cannot wait! I think I will make this my Saturday/Sunday routine. Just something to treat myself.
Friday, July 19, 2013
Lecture review: Microinequities
Today I attended an interesting lecture about micro-inequities. In a nutshell, it's all the passive aggressive actions intentional or unintentional that can occur in a conversation. For example leaving someone off an important email chain may make that person feel left out, though the sender may have not done it intentionally. What I learned is that there are at least two sides to every action even if the intentions were meant to be good.
The speaker was Michael Freeman from UCF. He started by asking two questions to ponder:
- How do you reward yourself?
- How do you punish yourself?
As he suspected, most people do not reward themselves enough and that the punishments that we do to ourselves when things go wrong are far too severe. These actions that we do to ourselves also reflect exactly how we treat others professionally and personally.
Another interesting concept that he touched on briefly was "empathy fatigue." This is when you no longer care or more professionally: "Emotional detachment brought about by prolonged emotional exposure." In other words, being so consumed by something whether it's work or personal problems that all emotions of sympathy become the same. I can say that I suffer from this and I'd wager that 75% of my colleagues do too. I would love to discuss ways to break this chain, but Freeman also said that he put forth a rule that says "I will only work as hard as my boss/client."
I've always been one to say that change starts from the top down. I try to embody the ideals that I strive to maintain in my personal and professional life, but in the end, you are responsible for yourself and your actions.
In conclusion Freeman said something that stuck with me: "You can't control what someone else does, you can only control how you react." He challenged each of us to be brave and have meaningful conversations. If it's a sensitive topic, then the only way to clear the air is to ask the question "why do you say that?" This is because we should always be open to learning and only when all parties are willing to listen and understand, can anything be solved.
The speaker was Michael Freeman from UCF. He started by asking two questions to ponder:
- How do you reward yourself?
- How do you punish yourself?
As he suspected, most people do not reward themselves enough and that the punishments that we do to ourselves when things go wrong are far too severe. These actions that we do to ourselves also reflect exactly how we treat others professionally and personally.
Another interesting concept that he touched on briefly was "empathy fatigue." This is when you no longer care or more professionally: "Emotional detachment brought about by prolonged emotional exposure." In other words, being so consumed by something whether it's work or personal problems that all emotions of sympathy become the same. I can say that I suffer from this and I'd wager that 75% of my colleagues do too. I would love to discuss ways to break this chain, but Freeman also said that he put forth a rule that says "I will only work as hard as my boss/client."
I've always been one to say that change starts from the top down. I try to embody the ideals that I strive to maintain in my personal and professional life, but in the end, you are responsible for yourself and your actions.
In conclusion Freeman said something that stuck with me: "You can't control what someone else does, you can only control how you react." He challenged each of us to be brave and have meaningful conversations. If it's a sensitive topic, then the only way to clear the air is to ask the question "why do you say that?" This is because we should always be open to learning and only when all parties are willing to listen and understand, can anything be solved.
Monday, July 15, 2013
Being Qualified
This month one of my goals is to "Be Qualified." This goal came about after I got tired of not getting job interviews because I do not meet the minimum job requirements, despite being fully capable of performing the job.
On a side note: me getting tired of not being able to do ____. Is usually how I get myself into some strange flights of fancy. I wonder at one point does one decide to give up pursuing flights of fancy. In recent months, I've become aware that I should settle down, but it's hard without a job that pays enough to live independently.
I've started exploring the idea of going back to school again. This time for my Master's degree. The biggest roadblocks are finances and, of course, time. Then of course, this would be the last degree I would get before embarking on my career. I've considered a few things from an MFA in writing to MBA in Marketing to Certificate in Information Technology. I can safely say that I know what I do not want to do. I also know my life goal is to have a career where the work I do makes a difference. I'd also preferably like to be paid enough to live comfortably and provide for my family.
I also hate that I only speak two languages: English and Tourist. Ideally, I'd like to learn to speak Spanish, Portuguese, or some Asian language. I'll be working on this.
There was a time when the Bachelor's Degree guaranteed that you got a good job. Now the whole scheme has shifted. Everyone has a Bachelor's Degree and the edge is for those with the Master's. I'd be curious to see if in the future you'd need a Ph. D. to get an entry level job.
Those who know me over the past decade know that my flights of fancy usually last for 2-years before I get bored and want to do something else. I simply cannot afford this anymore. It's time to grow up. Not to mention it's expensive to go to school and change career paths.
I know that my mind is restless now. I want so much more than what I have now, but I also know that I should be happy with what I have. Sometimes, I feel like a little girl trapped in a tower with no way out, but to burn my way down. *End dramatic note*
On a side note: me getting tired of not being able to do ____. Is usually how I get myself into some strange flights of fancy. I wonder at one point does one decide to give up pursuing flights of fancy. In recent months, I've become aware that I should settle down, but it's hard without a job that pays enough to live independently.
I've started exploring the idea of going back to school again. This time for my Master's degree. The biggest roadblocks are finances and, of course, time. Then of course, this would be the last degree I would get before embarking on my career. I've considered a few things from an MFA in writing to MBA in Marketing to Certificate in Information Technology. I can safely say that I know what I do not want to do. I also know my life goal is to have a career where the work I do makes a difference. I'd also preferably like to be paid enough to live comfortably and provide for my family.
I also hate that I only speak two languages: English and Tourist. Ideally, I'd like to learn to speak Spanish, Portuguese, or some Asian language. I'll be working on this.
There was a time when the Bachelor's Degree guaranteed that you got a good job. Now the whole scheme has shifted. Everyone has a Bachelor's Degree and the edge is for those with the Master's. I'd be curious to see if in the future you'd need a Ph. D. to get an entry level job.
Those who know me over the past decade know that my flights of fancy usually last for 2-years before I get bored and want to do something else. I simply cannot afford this anymore. It's time to grow up. Not to mention it's expensive to go to school and change career paths.
I know that my mind is restless now. I want so much more than what I have now, but I also know that I should be happy with what I have. Sometimes, I feel like a little girl trapped in a tower with no way out, but to burn my way down. *End dramatic note*
Thursday, July 4, 2013
Pinterest Project: Upcycling T-shirt into vest
Lately I've had this urge to do a DIY from Pinterest. Some of my pinterest projects go really well (mostly the food ones), and others are misses. My project today was to upcycle an old T-shirt. I have tons of t-shirts from all the 5K volunteering I've been doing this year. I found my project here. It was pretty quick, all I needed was a shirt and a pair of scissors.
I started with this pretty bright yellow shirt (that I'd never wear in public), then started cutting. It felt wrong cutting a perfectly good shirt. Usually these end up in my donation pile after a year, but since this entire month is about doing things, I figured it's just one shirt.
I started with this pretty bright yellow shirt (that I'd never wear in public), then started cutting. It felt wrong cutting a perfectly good shirt. Usually these end up in my donation pile after a year, but since this entire month is about doing things, I figured it's just one shirt.
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